System Failure
by Shadestriker27
Summary: I'm a 19 year old, high school graduate. One of my 'special quirks' seems to be hacking. When I am employed by N.E.S.T. as their resident tech expert, trouble finds me. When I stumble upon some 'classified data', I know that I'm in big trouble. Alien robots? Hah! Might as well say, pigs fly. Now, I can only hope that my 'special quirk' can save my life. [Post-'07 Movie,AU]
1. Misconceptions

**Disclaimer: **_I only claim ownership to my OC's and any other non-canon material._

_The Transformers® franchise is owned by Hasbro...sadly._

_But you know how cool it would be if it was owned by me? Oh the things I would do..._

* * *

**Legend  
**

"Normal"

_Thoughts_

_"Phone"_

**::**Comm-link**::**

**(Flashback)**

* * *

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**Δ I: Misconceptions Δ**

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_Things are not what they always seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden." _― Phaedrus

* * *

**Prologue**

First of all, let's get a few things straight. You don't know me, and you never will. You will deny knowing me and my actions...unless you have a death wish. And if you don't, then I suggest you keep your mouth shut. If you don't keep your mouth shut then you will pay for it. Seeing as that you may not know about me (at all), let me jog your memory for you. I am that one hacker who exploited that one mafia gang. I was also the one who hacked into that one multi-millionaire's account and uncovered all that counterfeit money. I'm also the one who will kill you if you dare say one word about this. Remember me now? If you still don't, then read on.

My name is Lexi Brevard, I am a 19 year old; high school graduate, and am currently dwelling in an apartment by Warner Robins. As you know, I'm a hacker. I spend most of my day typing away at a computer, creating DDOS systems with my friend 73rr1fy1n6_r4p70r (Terrifying_Raptor) or searching around the internet for those alien conspiracy sites. Honestly, where do they get all that information. I think it's all made up, maybe some high-tech animation or something. Nicole says that I like to put my hand in the cookie jar... A lot. To be truthful, I think people are just asking for it.

Now, what you're about to see is top secret. If you tell anyone about this, I will send my personal assassin (I don''t have one, so I'll just use Number One's) to hunt you down. So sit back, relax, and view at your own risk.

* * *

**{San Diego, CA}**

**{Monday, June 2, 2008, 3:00 P.M.}**

"That scoundrel!" Number One shouted as he banged his fist on his table.

Everyone who was sitting at the table, visibly flinched. They had never seen Number one this angry. Never. Countless thoughts ran into their minds on what Number One would do to them if they failed him.

A brave scientist spoke up, "S-Sir, we tried our best to-"

"-To what? Fail?!"

The scientist quickly cowered down. He nervously adjusted his glasses and took a sip of water. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.

"That hacker has infiltrated our database twice! Not once, but twice! I thought I had told you all to upgrade our security?"

"Y-You did, sir." This time it was one of the engineers that had spoke up. He was seated at the far end of the table, looking even more pale than the scientist.

"Then, pray tell, how did that hacker manage to hack our database again?" To emphasize his point, Number One slammed his fist on his table again. The people that were seated at the table visibly squirmed in their seat. He had no doubt that if they saw his face while he was fuming, they would run out of the room crying. It was one of the very reasons of why Number One showed his shadow instead of his face. That, and because he didn't want to become a target.

"He left a false trail, sir." The scientist said.

"And you fell right into the trap." Number One concluded.

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Hmm..." Number One mused as he relaxed back into his seat (not that the people could see him do that), "did you find out who the hacker was?"

"Only a nickname, sir. It is r45p83Rry_ko0L41d." One of the hackers replied as he looked over his notes.

"Hmm... Find out who this 'Raspberry Koolaid' is."

"Yes, sir."

The familiar silhouette of Number One disappeared, and the screen fizzled black.

* * *

**{Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory}**

**{Monday, June 2, 2008, 3:50 P.M. (PST)}**

The Main Hanger was buzzing with activity as the solders were striding around to finish their duties, while the construction workers were finishing their work. Every once in a while, you would hear yells from the construction workers as they ran around trying to complete the roof and some of the layouts for the base. But... It was no match for a blonde Australian who had driven all the way from the Tech Department, and was now currently making her way to Lennox.

"Lennox! Wait up! Lennox!"

Lennox gave the construction workers one last glance before he turned around to find a blonde Australian running as if the devil himself was chasing her.

"Lennox...security...has been...breached..." Maggie panted as she handed him a file and a bunch of papers that were filled with data.

"Yeah...it's...really, really...bad..." panted Glenn as he caught up with her.

"What?!" Lennox exclaimed as he ignored Glenn's remark. He gave the file a quick glance before he moved on to do the same with the papers.

"I said that-"

"I know what you said, but... How?" asked Lennox.

"i don't know! All I know is that it was someone called Raspberry_Koolaid." Maggie replied as she threw her hands up in exasperation.

"It was all her fault!" Glenn yelled as he pointed a finger accusing Maggie. "She distracted me from the monitor and I didn't realize that we-"

Maggie gave a irritated sigh, "-Glenn..."

"Sorry." Glenn replied meekly.

Maggie shook her head. "Point is, whoever it was, they must have been very skilled. They managed to break through our firewall in seconds!"

"Was any information stolen?" inquired Lennox.

"From what I can tell? None. But I'm sure something must have been taken, if not looked at." Maggie said as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.

"Galloway's not gonna be happy about this." mumbled Lennox as he threw the file on his desk. He ran a hand through his hair, glaring at the file. It would be catastrophic if the Autobots' presences was revealed to the public eye.

"Jeez, sorry! The intruder was well-hidden that we didn't find out he was there until our screens went black and a nasty message popped up!" huffed Maggie. "And it would help if we had another person in NEST's Tech Department!"

Lennox sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could tell that today was going to be a long day.

"Is there a problem, Major Lennox?" Optimus' deep baritone voice rang out as he came into the main hanger.

Lennox looked at Optimus's holoform, "Optimus, you are not gonna like what I'm about to tell you."

* * *

**{Spokane, WA}**

**{ Monday, June 2, 2008, 4:00 P.M. (PST)}**

I sighed as I relaxed back into the computer chair. I had just finished my last client's request: hacking into a government database and extracting all the files. it was worth while since my payment was two grand. It wasn't every day when someone offered you that much money to get a man caught by the cops. I snort, by now, the police must have already arrived at his house with the warrant at hand.

I was so absorbed into my thoughts that I didn't notice someone walking into the room. Suddenly, I felt a hand clasp my shoulder. I tensed, thinking they had found out. Maybe, I had left the door open or-

"So? Did "Raspberry Koolaid" succeed?"

I mentally relaxed as I recognized the voice.

"Well?" Nicole prodded as she poked my shoulder.

"Shut up." I say as I playfully swat her arm.

"Come on, Lexi. Your last job was to hack into some billionaire's database, and this one was to hack into a government database." Nicole shakes her head, "I don't even know how you do it."

Not bothering to correct her about the fact that it was a millionaire, and that I hadn't hacked a government database... Yet. Instead, I just give a lame reply. "I'm awesome, that's how."

"I'm gonna laugh if you get caught." Nicole says as she leans on the computer chair, staring at the computer screen.

"Uh, no, you won't. You'll probably be behind the bars, with me, as my partner-in-crime. Then you'll whine and make my ears bleed till I die." I pause for a moment before I seriously add, "But I never will. The way their security's built, they wouldn't even notice if some wannabe hacker got into their system."

Nicole just laughs. "Well now that you're finished, wanna go watch a movie?" her eagerness quickly comes in. This is the Nicole I know. The spunky, smart-assed chick that could win a Civil War with one arm tied behind her back.

"Sure." I say as I start to get up from my chair before being pushed down by Nicole's hand.

"Sweet! I know the perfect one!" Nicole says as she runs over to the TV.

Knowing I will not win this round, I just shake my head and follow her. Dreading the movie she will pick.

* * *

**{Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory}**

**{Monday, June 2, 2008, 4:27 P.M. (PST)}**

"I see..." was the Prime's stoic reply. He let his gaze wander to the the main room of the hanger. It was massive, the sheer size of it would make someone wonder why it was that big. It was the only room that was finished in the main N.E.S.T. base. It was also one of the first ones constructed, so the Autobots could transform and 'stretch their joints' as Sideswipe and Ironhide put it.

"So... What do you suggest we do?" inquired Lennox.

The Prime took a moment before replying. "Have we found any information regarding the hacker's whereabouts?"

"None." This time, it had been Maggie who had spoken up. "You'd think there would at least be a IP address or something, but nothing. That hacker was good. Real good."

"Hmm... Was any information stolen?" Optimus asked as his eyes narrowed.

"We're not quite sure. Glenn and I did see that the intruder had a peek around our database, but we are not sure if anything was stolen. However, the search is still ongoing. And it would help if we actually had someone who knew what-"

Glenn cut Maggie off in hopes of stopping her anger from rising, "-What Maggie is trying to say, is that it would help if we had some extra help."

"Very well." Optimus looked over to Lennox as he spoke, "Major Lennox, have we found anyone who would be willing?"

Lennox looked back to the Prime. "We have been looking over various civilian profiles, thinking on who would be the best one. So far, we haven't found anyone that passes. We are running out of people who would be willing. There are a few people left that we have yet to call, I think Epps gave us a—" He looked over to Epps, cupped his hands around his mouth, and gave a loud yell, "Epps! What was the phone number your wife gave us?"

Epps finishes talking to one of the construction workers and looks over to Lennox and starts jogging over to join them, "It's right here. One sec..." he fishes into one the pockets in his army greens and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper.

Quickly un-creasing it, he hands the piece of paper to Lennox. "Monique said she was the one to call."

"And how exactly does your wife know her?" inquired Lennox.

"Oh, she said she met her at a grocery store. The girl said she was looking for a job and I told Monique that we were looking for an expert in our Tech Department, so Monique told her and got her contact information."

Lennox gives Epps a wavering look, "How old is she?"

"19 years old; high school graduate."

"She'll work!" Maggie shouts as she practically jumps into the air. "She's perfect!"

"Calm down, grasshopper." Lennox says as he makes a motion with his hands. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a phone starts to type in the number. "Hopefully, she fits the bill."

* * *

**{Spokane, WA}**

**{Monday, June 2, 2008, 4:30 P.M.}**

Just as we were watching a movie, the phone rang. But, before I could reach over and grab it, Nicole jumps over the bed and plucks it right out of my arm's reach. "Hello? You've reached the B&D hotline. All our operators are tied-up right now, so if you leave a name, number, a list of transgressions and bark like a dog, we'll get right back to you with your penance."

"NICOLE!" I yell as I yank the phone from her hand. "Sorry sir." I mutter, expecting to hear some kind of yelling come from the other end. I turn to Nicole―who was busy laughing her ass off―and mouth with a whisper, "I hate you." I turn my attention back to the caller on the other end. "This is Lexi Brevard, how can I help you?"

Instead of hearing yelling and cursing, I hear a bark of laughter.

_"It's alright. I can tell your friend has a good sense of humor."_

Okay... That, I was not expecting to hear.

_"Tell me, Ms. Brevard, are you interested in a job?"_

"What kind of job?" I ask suspiciously. I finger my bangs and I look out the window, watching cars drive by.

"_It has to do with computers, and our Tech Department doesn't have that many analysts. We are wondering if you'd be up for it.__"_

By this time, Nicole had quieted down and was looking at me closely.

"I see." I reply. Now who the hell was it that gave out my info to that person. I don't just go around with a sign that says, "Hey, I'm a hacker! Hire me!"

_"A friend of ours requested you as the perfect candidate. Perhaps you know her? Her name is Monique Epps."_

Oh her! She's such a nice lady. I met her at a grocery store. We ended up talking about jobs, and she said that her husband worked for the military and they needed someone who was good with computers, so I gave her my name and number because I would not pass up such an opportunity for a job. Especially when we were due on rent.

"Oh yes! I remember." I say as I lean against the wall. "So what do I need to know?"

_"Well, there will be a background check among other things. There will be also a few restrictions as this is a government base, but nonetheless, I think you will be fine."_

I look over to Nicole who is nodding her head vigorously. I'm still a little suspicious about this whole thing because it involves the government. And with the government, things are never easy. But then again, even if they find out about the hacker that hacked all those businessmen, I have everything registered under a fake ID.

Having made my decision, I turn back towards the caller. "Alright sir, I'll take it."

_Great! A truck will be up to pick you up tomorrow at 8:00. And the plane will leave at 9:00 Thursday morning, so pack your bags!"_

"Thank you, sir. And you are?"

_"Major Lennox. And thank you! Our Tech Department has been bugging us to get some extra help. Now if only we could get a secretary for our call center..." _

I grin as I look over to Nicole who was now busy painting her nails. "Actually sir, I think I may have a friend who would be willing to give it a shot."

_"Really? Well thanks, again. Alright, I'll see you on Thursday."_

"You too, sir." I say as I promptly hang up.

I look over to Nicole and give a cheesy grin, "Good new, Nick'! You might be getting a job as a secretary for a call center!"

Nicole looks over in disbelief, "You're kidding... Right?"

* * *

**{Diego Garcia}**

**{Monday, June 2, 2008, 4:45 P.M. (PST)}**

"Autobots," Optimus addresses as he lets his gaze wander over his team, "as we all know that the current N.E.S.T base is undergoing construction, we are to remain in our alternate forms and have our holoforms initiated so that-"

"-But Prime~" Sideswipe whined. "I need to stretch my joints, they get cramped when I stay in my vehicle mode too long."

Unperturbed by the interruption, the Prime continues, "Whatever the case may be, we do not want to frighten the civilian workers that are working on base. We do know what happened last time." Prime said as he gave Sideswipe a pointed look.

"How was I supposed to know he was there? I thought no one would see me in the dark, so I transformed."

"You slag head! You were supposed to transform _inside _the hanger, not outside. He was on guard duty." Ratchet said as he hit Sideswipe with a wrench.

"Just be glad he was easily bribed." muttered Lennox who was perched up on the catwalk.

"But what about Lexi and her friend?" asked Epps. "Won't we have to tell them?"

Optimus heaved a sigh, "We do not want to endanger more humans in our war. We will try to the best of our ability to keep this from them."

* * *

**{Los Angles, California}**

**{Saturday, May 31, 2008, 4:45 P.M.}**

She rubbed her eyes as she relaxed back into her seat. Jillian got up from her seat and unplugged the flash-drive she had been working on.

"Ugh, I need a drink." Jillian mumbled.

She got up from her chair, and strode over to her refrigerator and got out a cherry Coca Cola. Jillian sat down on her couch and took a long sip from her soda. She ran a hand over her face and pushed her hair out of the way. She was exhausted, but the hack had been worth it. She had got the information she needed. Only now, her suspicions were confirmed.

"All in good time..." she mused.

...All in good time...

* * *

**A/N: **Just another plot bunny that popped up in my head. I'll be doing this story as I do Set in Stone. I just thought of it as a change for me and my brain.

Yeah...I guess you all thought I was dead or something. Disappearing for a month like that. What can I say? Life's busy.

As always, please review. I would love to hear your feedback on how this chapter was. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. :)

**EDITED: 8/7/14**


	2. Technical Issues

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**Δ II: Technical Issues Δ**

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* * *

**{San Diego, CA}**

**{Friday, June 6, 2008, 8:30 A.M.}**

The tension was so thick in the air that you could cut it with a knife. Scientists, engineers, politicians, and hackers from all over the world, were gathered at a table. All waiting for Number One's arrival. They were all murmuring apprehensively among themselves and glancing nervously at the screen. It was queer that Number one had ordered an emergency meeting right now. Each had their own thoughts on what was about to transpire... And, what Number One would do to them if they failed to meet his expectations.

But then again, who wouldn't be scared of someone who had never shown his face in meetings. All they saw of Number One was a shadow. It could be any one of them. In fact, it could be someone who was in this room with them at this very moment. It could be a pre-recorded message for all they know. Number One had never met any one face to face. How he managed to gain such power and authority over such little time was beyond anyone's comprehension.

Little by little, the murmuring in the room died down to a whisper as the screen fizzled into existence and the familiar silhouette of Number One appeared.

"What have we found so far?" Number One questioned.

One of the engineers cleared his throat and preceded to talk, "S-sir, the search is s-still ongoing and-"

But, the poor man was cut off by Number One, "-_I said, _what have we found so far?" his voice almost turning into a deathly whisper.

There was a sudden chill in the room. It was as if someone had lowered the temperature. It seemed as if Number One could give Megatron a run for his money. Number One wasn't angry. He was _very _angry. Something had to have happened for him to lose his cool.

"If I may, Number One?" a figure asked as it strode over the middle of the room.

Heads snapped to the direction of the voice, following it. It was the_ Silencer, _Number One's personal assassin. She was deadly with swords. If there was a job that needed to be done. Number One would hire her. She was his most trusted operative and bodyguard.

"Go ahead." Number One replied, his voice turning cold, losing any hint of emotion that was previously there.

"I have found this girl, her name is Jillian Banks. She is a brilliant hacker and I believe she may know this 'Raspberry_Koolaid.'"

Number One gave a chilling laugh, "You never cease to amaze, do you, Natalya?"

"Should I go retrieve her?" Silencer asked as she cocked her head to the side and pointed her thumb towards the door.

"No, no. That is fine. I would like to talk to her. Do you have her phone number?"

"Yes. She is 20 years old and currently attends Parkinson University. She lives in an apartment with a roommate of hers... Her parents live in North Carolina."

"Excellent." You could feel the evil grin radiating from Number One. He was happy, and filled with glee. This should be a good thing, but in fact it was bad. When Number One smiled, you knew you did not want to get in his way. For doing that, he would have your head.

"I will give this 'Jillian' a call. Until then, report to Silencer if you have any new information. You are all dismissed."

Just as the screen faded out of existence, everyone began to hastily make their way out of the meeting room. No one wanted to incur the wrath of Number One.

He was the most feared person in the underworld.

* * *

**{Los Angles, CA}**

**{Friday, June 6, 2008, 8:30 A.M.}**

The phone rang for the umpteenth time.

"What the hell is it with this person?!" Jillian hurried towards the kitchen to answer the phone. She was sleeping when she heard the phone ring. At first, she thought if she didn't answer it, the person would get tired and stop calling. Unfortunately, the caller was just as stubborn as her, maybe even more.

"What the hell is it? You better have a damn good reason for waking me up from my sleep!"

_"I do, Ms. Banks. In fact, I have a proposition for you."_

"What kind of 'proposition'?" Jillian asked suspiciously as she propped her elbow against the kitchen counter.

_"You are a hacker, correct?"_

"Yes...?" she answered, the fog clearing out as she began to have a clue on where this was heading.

_"I need you to find out who hacked my database. Name, age, whereabouts, any friends, family members... Everything. I want every single detail about him or her, in my hands. You think you can do that for me?"_

"How much are you willing to offer?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes. This sounded like it was a big job.

_"Five grand."_

Jillian gasped. She had never gotten that much money for a job such as this. The person must be really desperate. She was about to ask him to make it six, but something in his voice told her it was final, and he would not budge.

"Name, sir?" she grunted, knowing that he had won.

_"No name. I do not meet in person. You will have to come to Spokane, Washington if you are to accept this job. From there, you will meet one of my men, and you will be told what you have to do next."_

Jillian growled, "Fine. When do I leave?"

_"Tomorrow. You are to catch the earliest flight to Washington. Do not worry about the ticket. It has already been booked."_

"But-" Jillian was met with the sound of a beep. The caller had hung up on her.

"Who the hell does he think he is? Hanging up on _me_?" Jillian mumbled curses to herself as she went to her room to start packing. She was gonna have to make up some morbid excuse to keep her roommate from bugging her with questions.

* * *

**{Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory}**

**{Saturday, June 7, 2008, 2:00 A.M.}**

"A secretary? And nonetheless, for a call center? What do you think I am?!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Nicole, please. We have already had this conversation when we boarded the plane. In fact, we had this conversation just yesterday." I sighed. I had a headache the size of a boulder pounding on my skull. The sooner we got off the plane, the faster I can take some Advil. I had tried to go to sleep, but I couldn't. So here I was, two days later, with no sleep at all, being surrounded by soldiers and aides from all sides.

"...heard Galloway's an ass..."

"...Are they real?... I mean..."

"...heard it takes a while to get on the Commander's bad side, but once you do, watch out..."

"Is he really that bad?"

"Oh no, he's really nice. It takes a lot to get him on the edge, but when he does... The only person that can put him on the edge is Galloway. Him and..."

_Oh for the love of—whoever's talking, would you please shut up? I am trying to sleep here! _I was suddenly broken out of my thoughts as I heard a voice come on the intercom.

"All passengers, please put your seat belts on, we are about to land."

"Ugh, finally." Nicole grumbles. "I was beginning to wonder when we would get off this plane."

Just as Nicole and I get out onto the runaway, we realize one thing that we had failed to factor out. It was raining... Really hard.

"Shit! I told you to bring an umbrella!" Nicole yells as drops the luggage bag and points a finger accusing me.

"Sorry." I say, as I pick the bag up, while trying to hold onto my own. "I was busy packing things up. And besides, judging by the pressure of the rain, the umbrella would have collapsed in seconds!"

The rain was battering down on us like a bull. "Great. The first time I actually go to an island, I am met with a monsoon season." I mumble. When I was little, I had always fantasized about living on my own personal island, but now, that dream was shattered.

"Hey! Over here!"

I look over to a man holding an umbrella, waving one of his arms, and beckoning us. Nick' and I drag our bags over to him and collapse just as we reach him. "Him" was one who had warm chocolate-brown eyes, and a slightly average build.

"What's with the weather?" Nicole questions.

"There were packets with information about the climate... On the plane." he replies.

"She didn't bother to read them." I answer.

"That's because they were boring!" Nicole responds, trying to defend herself.

Not even slightly fazed by the comment, he replies, "Anyways, it's like this from May to December. You just came during the monsoon season."

Nicole groaned. "Great, all my dreams of living on an island. Gone." she makes a "poof" sound as she demonstrates with her hands.

"Um, sorry, but you are...?" My eyes narrow and my eyebrows twist up.

"Oh, right! I'm Major Lennox, the guy you talked to on the phone on Monday." he says, as he holds out a hand.

I shake his hand and say, "So, uh, where are we living? Also, what—" I was unable to finish my sentence because of something that caught my eye. It was a semi and a black truck.

The semi had red-orange flames that streaked from the grill to the cab. The blue body gleamed. It looked like it had just been washed. The black truck looked the same. It was as if they had never been used at all. I would have completely missed them, if it had not been for the airport lights. It was pitch-black out here, it also was a miracle that I hadn't fallen... Yet.

_What's a semi and a truck doing here. I thought those weren't allowed... But then again, the base is under construction. It also looks as if there's building materials loaded onto the back of that black pickup. But wouldn't the workers have their own vehicles? Or are those their vehicles? Maybe—_

"What were you saying?" Major Lennox asked.

"Huh?" I ask, blinking out of my little 'daze' that I had been in.

"You were in the middle of asking something, and then you got sidetracked."

"Uh, never mind." I reply.

"Okay...if you say so." Major Lennox replies, clearly unconvinced.

Over the course of the ride, Nicole kept on asking questions about Diego Garcia, the climate changes, about our house, and so forth. The rain was battering down on the roof of the Jeep. I just tried to get some sleep, but again, with the rain, it did not work. I gave an inaudible sigh as I just sat and listened to the conversation that occurred between Major Lennox and Nick'. Most of the questions were pretty straight-forward, but there were some questions where he took some time to respond. It was as if he was choosing his words carefully.

_Wonder what he's keeping from us... I wonder... _After coming up with crazy theories for about five minutes, I dismissed the thought and just reassured myself that he would tell us later.

Soon the conversation died down and everything became quiet... Well, except for the rain.

"So what's that building?" I ask, in my futile attempts to break the silence.

Major Lennox looked over to where I was pointing, "Oh that? It's the Tech Department. You will be shown around it tomorrow. The base is still undergoing construction. Right now, we have the airport, the Tech Department, and the call center built. The main part of the base is in the process of being built."

"Wow. I can't wait to take a look at it! I bet it's gonna be huge!" I say, voicing my excitement.

"Actually, it's only for military personnel, so you won't be able to see it."

"Seriously?" Nicole asks.

Well, there goes another dream. One that had just started to begin.

"A lot of things are classified. So the fewer that know, the better." Then he added in a half-mumble, "Especially with the incident that happened a few days ago..."

Nicole ignored his remark and continued to bombard him with questions. I felt pity for the poor guy, knowing that once Nicole got started with questions, there was no stopping her.

"How far is the call center from our—wow, I didn't know you guys made old shattered and dinky houses that looked like they were about to fall apart. Is it for some kind of Halloween thing? You know, haunted houses?"

Nicole, you idiot! Halloween was in October. I don't think they would start building haunted houses in the middle of May when they still have to complete the construction of the base. But, I too, was wondering what that house was for. Even the Jeep that was parked beside the house looked like it hadn't been used for years.

"Actually...that's your house." he replied as he pulled in front of the house.

"What?!" Nicole screeched. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Hey, hey, calm down." Lennox soothed. "Don't judge a book by its cover. It actually looks pretty decent from the inside."

By now, we had started to unload our luggage from the Jeep as Lennox was struggling with the door. All the while, the rain hadn't stopped a bit. Oh, how I hated the rain. I absolutely loathed it, and with good reason too.

"Need help with that door?" I offer.

"No, I'm fine. The door's just a bit—oops, I guess we're gonna have to fix that." he said.

In his futile attempts to open the door, he had broken the knob. That just shows how old this house really is. I go up and push the door, but it doesn't budge. I ram it with my shoulder and only then, it opens...with the door hanging off the hinge.

Nicole just looks at the door in disbelief. "Exactly, how old is this house?"

"Oh, just a couple of years. It was built before we came here." he replies.

I snort. A couple of years? With the way the door easily came off the hinge, I'd say a couple of centuries.

Nicole looks at the house, judging what needs to be fixed. I just shake my head and follow Major Lennox inside the house.

"Huh. I guess you were right about the inside being decent."

The house looked what a normal house looked from the inside. There was some dust gathered on the coffee table and other things, but overall, it was fine. But then again, appearances can be deceiving, though the same can be applied to the outside of the house.

Major Lennox was showing us around the house. It was a regular two-story house. The walls were painted beige... At least I think it was beige. You couldn't really tell with the lighting. It was pretty empty, except for some furniture that was scattered here and there. Maybe some chairs, couches, a dining table, a small tv, and a bookshelf filled with various kinds of books. Outside the lightening flashed as the thunder rumbled.

"Alright so that, over there, is the kitchen and over there's the bathroom...and I guess, that's about it. Call me if you have any questions." Major Lennox said as he turned around to leave.

"One more thing." Nicole said. "What kind of wildlife—AHHH!"

Well Nicole, I think your question has just been answered.

Staring back at us was a 3 foot-long crab...a really big one. If I remember right, I saw one of those in Australia when I went to visit my uncle. I nearly freaked out at the sight of it.

"It's a coconut crab. Don't worry they won't mess with you. Don't know how this one got in, but you'll be fine." Major Lennox's words did little to assure Nicole.

Nicole squealed as the coconut crab skittered across the floor and out the door.

"She's not fond of crabs, huh?"

"Oh yeah. Ever since she was five, and saw one at the beach, she's been avoiding them ever since." I reply.

"Well... I'll be taking my leave. If you need anything, you can always text me or give a call."

"Alright. Thanks, Major Lennox." I say as I wave my hand.

As soon as he was gone—after wrestling with the door for five minutes—I collapse on the couch and close my eyes. It was two in the morning and I was soaking wet and tired.

"Hey Lex', come here!" Nicole hollers from upstairs.

"What is it?" Knowing that Nicole was probably going to drag me up the stairs if I didn't come willingly, I save her the trouble as I stumble up the stairs and find her looking at an email.

"It's a 'Welcome' email." she replies, not even taking her eyes off the screen.

"Oh..okay." I reply, a bit crestfallen that I was awaken from my sleep just to read an email.

"There's also a packet..." Nicole trails off, knowing my distaste for paperwork.

"No, no, no. They did not think that we would fill out forms at 2:00 in the morning did they?"

"...Lex', I think these are the forms we were supposed to fill in _before_ we got the job..."

She did have a point. Background checks and interviews took two weeks. Major Lennox had just hired us on the spot, and that was over the course of two days, with _basic _and _minimum _paperwork. I sift through the papers as I give them a quick look-over. "You're right. It looks like they threw everything together at the last minute. It was as if they needed someone who was a expert in the field."

"You!" Nicole shouts as she leaps off the bed and turns to face me. "Maybe...they were hacked, and their Tech Department couldn't figure it out. So they started looking for someone who was an expert in the field."

I nodded. "You have a point, but they could also be trying to hack something and they couldn't do it. You think the call center is related to this?"

"It could be." Nicole answered. "After all, he did mention that on the phone call. Maybe, he knew that we wouldn't refuse, so he just threw that in there to see if we would agree to take the job."

"But what? What is it? What is so important that they had to bring in two random civilians that just got out of high school to do the job? What?!" I lean back on the computer chair and pinch the bridge of my nose. It was two in the morning and I was tired to play detective. I brushed a strand of my hair away from my eyes and gave a small grin as an idea sprung to life.

Nicole, having caught on to why I was grinning, stated her objection very clearly, "Oh no you don't! I've seen that look on your face and I know what you are about to do. You are not gonna hack into government database!"

I laughed. There was no doubt in the fact that Nicole was scared of getting caught. True that hacking was the only way to find out what they were hiding from us, but I was not gonna do that... Yet.

"Promise me, you will not hack into their database and have us get caught and charged for treason!"

"Fine, I won't." I reply as I put on a straight-face.

"Good." she says as she tosses me a pen and a packet, "Here. I bet we need to hand them in first thing, tomorrow morning."

Well, let's get to work. Filling out a thick, twenty-page packet while you are soaking wet and could have hypothermia. How hard could that be?

* * *

**A/N: **So here we have it. The second chapter, it is, by far, the most longest chapter I have written. I did make some minor edits (nothing too life-threatening) in the previous chapter (they're hardly noticeable.) I loved writing this chapter, so let's see if you like.

To me, looks as if this chapter is similar to the first chapter of "Home Away From Home" written by the Box Of Mystery, but I just want to tell you that I'm not trying to copy him/her (I just recently re-read his/her story). So no plagiarism - if you think that's what I did - I promise. I made the month May because they just got out of high school, it's summer, they are looking for colleges and jobs... so I did research on that and found out that in Diego Garcia, there's a monsoon season from May to December. It was not my intention to make it look like I copied _The Box of Mystery._

I just love Number One, don't you? I think he's by far the most sinister character _I've _ever created. (I'm sure there are more sinister characters out there. Also the name 'Number One' comes from a Sci-Fi series that I like to read.)

As for Set in Stone, look forward to it being updated this week. (If all goes well...)

I would love to hear feedback from you guys. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. I am always looking for ways to improve my writing, so go ahead, throw something out there that you think I should consider.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed. :)

**EDITED: 6/24/14**


	3. 404 Error

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

**Δ III: 404 Error Δ**

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

**{Fox Field Airport; Spokane, WA}**

**{Saturday; June 7, 2008, 3:00 P.M.}**

Jillian Banks felt something was wrong when she touched down at the airport. As of right now, she was strolling through the food court, trying to make her way to the checkpoints. To ease her tensions, she took a swig of her cherry Coca Cola. She had collected her luggage (not that there was much to carry) not too long ago and had started to stride down towards checkpoint 5. That's where this 'Number One' said someone would meet her. She snorted, it would have been helpful if he had at least told her who to look for besides some stupid little trinket. She figured it was because Number One was too paranoid to tell her on the phone or he didn't trust her.

She put her bag down before taking another swig of the cherry-flavored soda. She didn't know when it had become an addiction, but she usually took a drink when she was excited or nervous. Right now, she was nervous. She figured it was better than being a drunk.

Off the corner of her eye, she spotted a man dressed in a black and white tuxedo staring at her. He had sunglasses on, so she couldn't really pinpoint who he was staring at. For all she knew, it could be a person behind her. She was about to turn around when she saw something flash in the man's hand. It was a wallet. A silver wallet, to be exact. She turned back around and starting walking to the man with the aviator sunglasses. Number One had told her to look for a man with a silver wallet, and here he was, the man with the silver wallet.

"One of these days, I'm going to die from all this tension." she mumbled as she strode over to him.

"Alright, so what am I supposed to do?" Jillian asked the man with the sunglasses.

"Come with me, Silencer will debrief you." and with that, he started to walk away.

_Debrief? This guy sounds like he's from the government. If I find out that I've been tricked, then this 'Number One' is in for trouble._

When he saw the conflicted look on Jillian's face, the man that looked like a stereotype from Men In Black swiveled around, grabbed Jillian's wrist and pulled her to the exit.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?! I was coming!"

Onlookers gave a quick glance to the pair then hurried on their way. They didn't have time for all of this.

"Time is of essence." had been the man's only reply before he shoved her into a black Hummer and drove away.

**Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ**

"Do you know of this hacker?"

Jillian looked at the 'crazy Russian lady' in shock. That's what she had dubbed her, 'crazy Russian lady'. She was creepy and basically a walking, talking, time bomb. But, when she was shown a picture of a nasty message that usually popped up on a victim's screen stating that they had been hacked, Jillian knew this was her lucky day. It was the day, when revenge would finally be hers.

"Well?" Silencer leveled her with a stare that would even melt the Wicked Witch of the West.

Jillian broke out of her thoughts and squirmed in her seat. It was way better than trying to maintain eye-contact with the Silencer. "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. I do know who Raspberry_Koolaid is. But... What am I supposed to do?"

"How well do you know her?" Silencer asked as she fumbled through a bag, trying to find something.

"We've met face-to-face. I know her phone number, her email, her address... Basically, I know everything that you want to know about her."

Silencer looked back at Jillian and her lips curled up into a vicious smile, "Good. Number One wants you to email this to her." She handed her a paper that had the whole email written out for her. All Jillian needed to do was type it and hit send.

"I'll get right on it."

This was it, her ship had just set sail. It was only a matter of time before Raspberry_Koolaid ended up behind the bars.

* * *

**{Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory}**

**{Monday; June 9, 2008, 4:00 A.M.}**

It was nighttime at Diego Garcia and the rain was still pounding on the roof. Every few seconds, lightening would flash by, but that did little to ease my worries. It would be the understatement of the century that I was worried; I was sweating bullets. I couldn't sleep at all. Yes, Lexi Brevard, the one that wouldn't wake up from her sleep even if her own apartment was on fire, the one that could sleep through a tornado or almost anything for that matter—was now, wide awake at 4:00 a.m. in the morning when I should be out dead because of the jet lag. This time, it was Nicole who looked like she was dead and I was the one who was in my fully conscious state.

Why? Because yours truly was concerned about one issue that she hadn't told her spunky, smart-assed friend. It was after I had hacked the database of a business typhoon: Victor Kilburn. He was a inventor of some sorts as well as a car salesman. He owned big companies such as Porsche, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg, Maserati... All those other sports cars that you could just dream about. That guy was a multi-millionaire. I hacked "Kilburn Industries," did some researching, and found out that he was involved with the mafia and a bunch of other shit. I also found out about some weapon to utilize a 'greater-power' (the hell was that?!), but before I could continue my research, the database had recognized an intrusion in its system and had sent tracking bots to get rid of me.

So far so good, right?

Wrong.

Of all the nights I could have checked my email, tonight was the night I did. And now, I very much regret doing that.

You might ask, "What's so important about some stupid email? It's just an email, right?"

Wrong, again. The email was from someone called "Number One." This is what the email said:

Hackers. They are quite the people, aren't they? Such talent, such a level a genius! If only, if only it could be applied to something useful. You don't not know me, and you probably don't remember me, but you hacked my database not too long ago. More than one time, actually. I'm quite impressed that you managed to obliterate my firewalls. I had them constructed by the world's top software engineers, as well as making my database the most secure I could, so that those 'denial-of-service' attacks wouldn't faze my system the slightest bit. But you, you managed to hack my database. Now, if only you would work for me, hmm? I doubt you'd say yes, so, I give you one final warning: Hack my database again, and you'll regret it. I can find out your whereabouts and your family members and friends. Remember this, Lexi Brevard.

But you see, today's generation doesn't pay attention to threats. They think of them as 'mindless words, and _empty _threats.' What they don't realize, is that, they are, in fact, very real. I am going to make an assumption that you won't listen to my threat either, so, I will offer you a piece of advice that may help you in the future.

So, I say it now; run. Run before it's too late. Run, before I get to you. Because when I do, you _will _regret it. You will find out that you have been framed. You will find yourself in handcuffs, and possibly behind the bars. The trust of everyone will be lost, and the fault will be... Yours. Everything will come crushing down on your shoulders, and you won't be able to do anything to prevent it.

Run. Run, before everything is lost. Clear your name from any records. Make it appear as if you don't exist. _Disappear _off the face of this planet, or I will make you.

-Number One

I was about to discard this whole email as an 'empty threat' just like Number One had said. But, when I read the last two paragraphs, my heart stopped cold.

___Disappear _off the face of this planet, or I will make you.

This guy really held a grudge against me. Which made me bring up another question: Who was Number One? For all I know, he could be living in my apartment complex! But he said that I had hacked his database. So it could be Victor Kilburn... James Young... Mark Perez... It could be anyone! I've hacked countless databases! Hell, I wouldn't even know if he was disguised as the clerk working at the local grocery store!

I went over the email again, and that's when I realized something I had missed. I hacked his database, but I know that I left no evidence behind. Then how the hell, did he find my email address? Which also meant that if he found my email, then he could track me. I knew I was in deep shit, so here I was, bending my mind, stressing my heartstrings, on how hell he found my email address in the first place.

I never gave it out to anyone, and rarely, did I ever use it. Besides, I had used a false ID to register my information on the computer. So, how? How had this Number One found me? The real me. Not Julia Ross, but Lexi Brevard.

What if he had meant to send it to someone else, but he accidentally sent it to me? But... How would he know my real name?

_Remember this, Lexi Brevard._

But now, I was more worried about the fact of being locked up in jail.

_You will find out that you have been framed. You will find yourself in handcuffs, and possibly behind the bars. The trust of everyone will be lost, and the fault will be... Yours. Everything will come crushing down on your shoulders, and you won't be able to do anything to prevent it._

How will I find myself behind the bars? I was even more worried now, because I was in a government base. What if the government had sent this email? What if this whole job-thing had been a set-up to trap me? And if this did happen, then I was dead.

D-E-A-D

Dead.

**Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ**

BEEP! BEEP!

"AHH! Who is it?!" I jump off the computer chair and land on the ground with a karate stance. The email really had me on the edge.

"Lex'... Answer the damn phone! I wanna go back to sleep..." Nicole grumbled as she wedged her head underneath the pillow to block the noise.

That's right, my phone. It was my phone. Now where the hell was my phone. I subconsciously pat the front and back pockets of my jeans. When I didn't find it, I started to panic. Again.

"My phone. I can't find it!" I frantically look around the room trying to locate it. "Nicole, did you take my phone?"

"No..." After a minute, Nicole popped her head out of the covers and said, "Why don't you check the table? I think I saw you put it there last night."

"Oh right, the table." I look back to the table and find it resting right next to the laptop. I can feel my heart beating. It feels like it's going to pop out of my chest at any moment.

I quickly turn around and pick up the phone. What if it's Number One again? What if Number One found out my phone number?

"Emerg. m33ting came up. I gtg. Won't b abl3 2 show u 'round. Take j33p outside. U have map." —William Lennox

Or not.

"You're kidding, right?" I jump over to the bed and pull the covers off Nicole who is still asleep. "Wake up, sleepyhead. It's go time!"

"What...?" Nicole lazily grumbled as she stretched, fell back onto the bed, and dived under the covers.

"I got a text from Lennox, saying that we're on our own today." I pull the covers off of her again, "Come on... Get up before we're late." I walk over to the packets of information and fish out a map. "I'll go outside and get the jeep started. You find something for us to eat."

"Whatever..." Nicole said as she _finally _got up from her bed and staggered around to regain her equilibrium.

I swear, if I don't die from all the stress I'm enduring today, it's going to be a miracle.

**Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ**

"Why won't you start up?!" I kick the Jeep in my futile attempts to get it started. I don't know how long I had been out here with the Jeep's hood open, but it didn't take a genius to figure out we were running late.

"Um... Maybe, you should try-" But Nicole was cut off by my furious rants. Again...

"I'm a hacker, not a mechanic! I don't know jack-shit about cars!" I kick the Jeep again. Lennox didn't tell us that the Jeep wouldn't be working! I couldn't even call him now because he was in a meeting, and the last thing I wanted to do was interrupt one.

"Maybe, you should have paid more attention to Auto-shop."

I snort, "Says the person who basically slept through the whole entire course."

"Okay, okay, fine. No need to be offensive." Nicole says as she folds her arms across her chest. "I was just trying to help."

I wipe the sweat off my brow. "Weird way of helping if you ask me. Firing comments isn't going to make this hunk of metal start."

"Says you." she retorts back.

I roll my eyes as I grumble something intelligible.

"What was that?" Nicole asks as she cups her ear leans towards me, mockingly.

"Shut up." I say as I swat her arm, playfully.

Nicole looks back to the Jeep in deep thought. "Hey. Didn't Mr. Sanders tell us about the battery being dead?"

I sigh as I look up from my tinkering, "Yeah, but then the red lights would flash on the dash, signaling that something's wrong with the battery."

I watch Nicole's eyes go distant as she pulls back to her own thoughts again. I shake my head and dive under the hood again, mumbling to myself.

Just then, Nicole snaps her fingers and literally jumps from her position. "That's it!"

Startled by her reaction, I bump my head on the hood. "Ow! Stupid hood."

Not even fazed the slightest bit, Nicole continues, "What if the battery is corroded? Quick, check the battery posts!... Wherever they are..."

I dive under the hood again and locate the battery terminals. I start to use the wrench to loosen the nut, then, I unfasten the clamp. What I find almost makes me want to hug Nicole if the sight of it had not almost made me vomit. "Nicole, check if we have Coca Cola." I pause for a second, then turn back to her, "And water!"

Nicole runs back inside the house to find the requested items as I lay the cables on the ground. They were covered with a bunch of grime and other stuff... It's looked disgusting.

After twelve minutes of scrubbing my ass off, I put the key into the ignition and started the car. The Jeep roared. I slammed the hood shut, threw the wrench, and glomped Nicole. "YES! SUCCESS!"

"See? I didn't sleep through the _entire_ course."

"You're just lucky I missed that day because I was sick." I mutter as I hop back into the driver's side and execute a sharp turn on the gravel road.

**Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ-****Δ**

In my hurried attempts to get inside the Tech Department, I almost crashed into another car as I applied the brakes. I quickly wiped the sweat from my forehead, grabbed my backpack and headed inside.

I ran into the Tech Department almost running into a few people. "Excuse me—sorry! Can you please—I didn't mean to!"

I turn around to see if the person was okay while I was still running. I turn back only to find out that I've ran into another person.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize—I should have paid more attention! I'm sorry, I'll help you pick it up!" I drop down beside the woman and start collecting the papers.

"It's fine." The woman says as she hastily retrieves the fallen stack of papers. "I should have watched where I was going."

I examine the woman and I notice that she is almost the polar opposite of me. She seems to have a slight tan to her skin, with brilliant blue eyes and a contagious smile. Her brown hair is in curls making her stand out even more. She had a nice physique—one that I envied. Nicole always said that my body was almost flat as a washboard. It seemed that she wasn't wrong either. I had chestnut hair, warm chocolate brown eyes, and a carefree smile. And, I looked slim, lacking all the curves.

After collecting the papers, she offers a hand and introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Amy."

I shake her hand and do the same. "I'm the new civilian analyst; Lexi. Lexi Brevard."

"So I've heard... Apparently, things have been hectic the past couple of days and we're trying to get that sorted out." she says as she glances around the Tech Department.

"Yeah, I can see that." I say as I give her a quick glance before looking back at the analysts. "So... You work here?" I ask as I motion to the people that are working on the computers.

"Oh no! Computers aren't my thing anyway. I just came here to collect some papers that I need to give to the Commander." Amy turns around and points to a blonde Australian rushing around and checking everyone's status. "That's Maggie Madsen. She's in charge of the Tech Department along with Glenn. Go over to her and she'll tell you what to do."

"Okay, thanks."

"No problem." Amy replied with a carefree tone as she stopped to re-adjust her papers. "Now, I better get to the Commander before he blows a fuse. He's been on the edge for the past couple of day." She starts walking again, and soon she's out the door.

I turn around and start walking towards Maggie Madsen. _There better be a damn good reason for me being employed here!_

* * *

**{Tranquility, NV}**

**{Sunday; June 8, 2008, 5:00 P.M.}**

_Brrring Brrring! Brrring Brrring! Brri-_

Number One picks up the phone as he puts his pen down, "Ah... Natalya. What have you found so far?" He leans back into the chair and props his feet on the table. He puts one arm under his head, the other holding the phone to his ear.

_"Much more than you could imagine. The girl seems to have met the hacker. They know each other very well. It seems, we have hit the jackpot."_

"That is good to hear, Natalya. I want this hacker in my captivity. If that hacker had even one look at the schematics, then we are in trouble."

_"Understood, Number One."_

"Good..." Number One took his feet off his desk just as his secretary came in.

"Sir—"

"Ah, yes. The papers. Please put them here." he said as he motioned to a spot on his desk.

Number One gives a quick glance at the papers as he rifles through them. It was everything he needed for his plan to set sail. As soon as his secretary left, he returned back to the caller at hand.

"Now, Natalya, I have just gotten some... Information. I think it would be wise for the girl to be let loose, and have her find us more information regarding..." Number One sucked air through his teeth, he was going to have to be very cryptic on the phone, "the current matter at our hands. I believe one is very much linked to the other."

_"Of course, Number One. I'll let the girl know."_

"Good..." Number One replies as he hangs up. He leans back in his chair as he sets his arms on the armrest. He swivels the chair around to face the window (the whole back wall was made of windows).

His lips curl up to give that one ruthless smile he's known for. "Optimus Prime and William Lennox, I will make sure that N.E.S.T. is in tatters. And you cannot do anything to stop me.

He swivels back to face his desk and marks a big red 'x' on the picture of Optimus Prime...

* * *

**A/N: **I'm back!~ Did you miss me? Yes? No? Anyways, we have poor Lexi on one hand is stressed over an email, then we have Jillian who seems to be wound in this all along. And finally, we have Number One who has yet to reveal his hate for N.E.S.T. Also, I am switching through POV to make it more... Interesting. I find it better to do normal POV with Number One and Jillian. By the way, I changed Lexi and Jillian's last names because they didn't fit my tastes.

Anyone think I'm overdoing Number One? I feel like he's the cliché villain. If anyone wants me to tone it down a little, then I will try to.

So? What do you think is Jillian's plan? Who do you think Jillian really is? How do you think Number One knows about the Autobots? Who is Number One? What is Jillian's relationship with Lexi? Come on, people! I would love to hear your guesses. :D

As always, I would love it if you would review. Constructive criticism is _greatly _appreciated as I am always looking for ways to improve my writing. Even the smallest change can make a big difference.

A special thanks to all who have reviewed, favorited, and/or followed. Thanks for all the motivation guys/girls. You are awesome!

**EDITED: 8/8/14**


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